The fire was reported around 2:50 p.m. July 25 by Jennifer Silva of MSWMA, who said that a man came and told her "you're on fire."

Silva said she saw flames behind the facility's back fence and right along the off-ramp from Highway 101 to Highway 253 and called 911.

The flames then spread east between the off-ramp and the fence, lighting most of the guard-rail posts on fire.

She said large, black barrels near the fence were empty, and the biggest concern for the facility was if the pile of tires near the fence caught on fire.

Firefighters from UVFA and Cal Fire responded and kept the flames behind the fence. Division Chief Kevin Jennings said the guardrail posts would burn all night if not properly extinguished, so he said firefighters would be adding foam to their hoses and dousing each one separately.

Jennings said the cause of the fire, which was under two acres, is under investigation.